Customer Reviews

Apple PowerBook Laptop 17" M9689LL/A (1.67 GHz PowerPC G4, 512 MB RAM, 100 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are, quite literally, thousands of notebooks in the market today, ranging from $500 to $3000+ in price. If you're looking through the reviews of the magnificent $2700 17-inch Powerbook, you might be wondering if the price, the upfront cost of a Macintosh, is justifiable given that one can easily purchase 5 of the $500 notebooks. I looked around myself, but it came down to these:

1. The big screen. Most 17-inch Windows notebooks try to be media centers, and they weigh a ton. This Powerbook is barely more than an inch thick.

2. Size. I don't have big hands, but I do like a comfortable writing space. The keyboard has a nice tactile feel, it's backlit in dim lighting conditions.

3. Quietness. There is hardly a sound from the computer, and unless I'm doing processor-intensive work (like watching Quicktime HD sample movies), the fan is never on. It lets me focus on my work, rather than get distracted and annoyed at the grinding noise from the fan and hard drive.

4. Ease of use. All the necessary plugs (USB, firewire, etc) are present. More importantly, OS X (I'm using 10.4) with the included iLife '05 productivity software is easy to learn, and based on my experience from Windows PCs, makes me more productive quickly.

5. Software. The OS and the bundled software (I mentioned them above) don't intrude, requiring constant attention and drivers to install when I plug in a camera for the first time. They get out of my way, and they let me produce results. It took me 30 mins to import photos, edit them, and make a DVD catalog (browseable in Safari) AND make a quicktime movie of a slideshow. I was never able to do this on my old Windows PC (3.4GHz P4).

6. Value. Macs have generally higher resale value than other PCs. It's one company, versus hundreds of companies making, generally, the same computer, and so they gravitate towards pricing as the differentiator. I sold my 6-month-old 14-inch iBook G4 at 80% of the original price I paid. That's hard to do with any other PC or notebook.

And we come to price. At $2700, it is expensive, there is no getting around it. But when I compared to a comparable Dell 17-inch notebook (very nice, I must add), and added hardware and software features, resale value, plus considering ease of use and increased productivity, the $2700 in price is a bargain. Consider with a grain of salt, make your own comparisons and judgements.

First of all, let me state that while I have used this machine, I am the current owner of an older model - the first generation 17" with a 1GHz processor and a 60GB hard drive.

One of the biggest questions I always hear is "Isn't that too big to carry around?" My answer is no. I carry it for a 20 minute walk to my college campus daily and have no problems with it. I keep it in a Brenthaven bag specifically designed for it, and while it is a little unwieldy, it took me very little time to get used to it. The weight is definitely not an issue. For anyone thinking about getting this, I would weigh any bag that you carry with you on a day to day basis - seven pounds really isn't so much to deal with.

I use my Powerbook as my primary machine. At any given time, I am usually running Adobe Photoshop and/or Illustrator, Macromedia Flash, as well as a few native applications (Mail and iCal are always open, usually iTunes as well). The programs that come with the computer are well integrated into the operating system. I use mine for about 15 hours a day, and I put it to sleep rather than shutting it down. Even with all of the work that I do on it, a year and a half after purchasing my model it still stays on for two to three weeks with no need to shut it down.

The backlit keyboard is a feature that I never thought I would need, but now that I have it I'm not sure how I ever lived without it. Light sensors automatically adjust your screen brightness and keyboard lighting, although these can be adjusted manually. It makes working a breeze. Even though I don't look at the keyboard very much when I'm typing, it's nice to be able to see when I need to use keys I don't access very often (function keys, etc.). Since the keyboard lighting controls take up extra function keys, the "one-key" Expose features in OSX require one more step with pressing function before hitting F9-F11, but if it poses a real problem you can always set screen corners or change the hot key.

My biggest issue with this computer is the battery life. With the brightness turned all the way down (which can make the screen very difficult to see depending on your lighting conditions) and AirPort turned off, it can get around 3.5-4 hours of battery life. If you need full brightness and a wireless internet connection, you're realistically looking at about 2-2.5 hours of battery life.

Overall, I am a large supporter of this computer. I would recommend it to anyone that has a need for a Macintosh with maximum screen size and portability.

Apple's latest update to their aluminum PowerBook series warrants a close look by current PowerBook users and anyone on the fence. The 17" screen is stunning, even keeping in mind that other makers have copied the idea (Apple's overall presentation simply outclasses the copycats' efforts), and the design and construction are first class.
I purchased the new 17" PowerBook to replace the previous 15" model. The increase in processor speed is noticeable, and I love the new trackpad which incorporates vertical and horizontal scrolling simply by touching the pad with two fingers instead of one. It is immediately easy to use--no extra buttons to manipulate or odd procedures to learn. The screen seems brighter than the previous one, and the new keyboard backlighting is beautiful.
I also like the fact that, besides increasing the base amount of memory, Apple now ships the machines with one memory slot open. That is, a standard 512MB machine has one 512MB strip on board, with one slot open. I simply took the "extra" 512MB strip out of my previous machine and put it in the new one, giving me a full 1GB of memory (upgradable to 2GB for those planning missions beyond the galaxy or whatever).
Buyers of the new 17" PowerBook should also check out the Apple/Brenthaven shoulder bag and backpack. I opted for the backpack this time. It is beautifully crafted; easily worth the slight additional cost over the standard fare, especially since the computer sleeve is made specifically for this computer.
In sum, this is not an "intermediate" tweak; it is a serious upgrade of an already-great product.

Picked up the original version of this machine back when it first came out, and being that I am Military, it soon had probably the toughest test a computer could have: A full year in the heat, dust, and general unpleasentness that is Iraq. In our unit there was 16 computers, this one, the only apple, was the only one to survive the 14 months. It had been in horrid sandstorms, protected by either ziplock bags or at worse, a simple blanket. It was in full use at 30 degrees and 140 degrees. It was even blown up in a humvee.

Still going strong, only problem with it is a ton of dings and scratches, the lid doesn't quite shut right, and I think I might want to swap out the hard drive, for after 3 years, I imagine I am pressing my luck there with all the crap it went through.

And it isn't too big. I've used it just fine in the economy seats of a 747 on the way to New Zealand and back, and it fit the tray table just fine. Not very thick, and not too heavy either. Get the Brenthaven bag and you are set.

Right now, its the only computer I use and need, excepting work of course.

You simply can not go wrong with it.

First off, I can't tell you all the technical specs that someone with a wider knowledge base can. So I'll just give you the basic nuts and bolts after having used this computer for about six months.

Sure, this unit is pricey - but to me it's worth it. I do freelance writing and design and enjoy the flexibility I get with a laptop. I can run In Design Creative Suite with no problems and never crash. The luxury of having a built-in CD/DVD burner is beyond compare and is very easy to use. Although I haven't used the DVD burner yet the CD burner is relatively easy to navigate and makes burning virtually effortless.

The 17" screen is marvelous and the whole computer seems very "intuitive" - if it looks like this particular button over here should perform function X, then chances are it probably does. No need to pour over an owner's manual.

One con I can think of is the fragility of the machine - my husband has a smaller Dell that can seemingly be chucked around and beaten to death. To do the same to the Mac would be sheer suicide, unless you like the look of scraped up titanium. (This is the only reason I didn't give it five stars) Dirt, finger prints and marks show up easily when arms/hands are rested on the unit but a gentle cleaning will take care of that. So basically you have to be very careful and treat this very expensive, beautiful and sleek machine with the respect it deserves.

After switching from PC to Mac due to a defective RAM chip, I have been nothing but thoroughly impressed and continually amazed by the ways in which my Mac outperforms my old PC in virtually every conceivable way. I've said goodbye to crashes, spyware, adware and viruses. For the first time I'm in love with my computer and it's name is Mac. Thanks Apple for making such a fine product.

The 17" PowerBook is simply gorgeous. Although it benefits from a far larger screen than my old Dell, the Laptop is roughly 5 lbs lighter and it's power supply is less than half the weight. Amazingly, the power supply on my old Dell 5150 weighed more than one pound! The Powerbook is solidly constructed and yet neither functionality nor aesthetics have been compromised. This computer is also virtually SILENT - there's nearly no discernable fan noise. In short, I cannot imagine this computer being any better. Combined with the amazing apple OS, Tiger, this is as winning a combination as you can find on the PC market.

I have a friend of a friend who works at an Apple store and just recenlty he let me play with all the new stuff, some old stuff too and here is my impression of the new, improved 17 inch PowerBook. First off, and I feel like shouting this, but I won't, "It's about time Apple put out a computer that had enough memory in it to actually run it!" I have an old G3, 14 inch iBook and right off the bat I had to buy more memory, bumping it up to 640 megs, so knowing this baby comes with 512 right out the door, will bring a sigh of relief to anybody thinking of buying one.

The screen on this baby is gorgeous and really, really huge, stunning, no reading glasses for me here. This machine is svelte and sleek, but a bit to big to be taken on the road in my opinion. It comes with Airport Extreme built in. Has all the usual ports, plus FireWire 800 and it's crowning jewel, in my humble opinion, is the backlit keyboard. Apple claims it's ten times brighter than the old model. I can attest to the fact that it's brighter, but ten times, I don't know, I didn't see it. However, it's plenty bright enough to work in the dark. This 1.67 GHz model comes with a Superdrive and a scrolling trackpad (which I didn't mention in my other reviews). I found the trackpad scrolling business to be a little annoying, but no matter you can turn it off in System Prefs if you want. However, I imagine once you get used to it, one might find it darned handy.

In a way this baby is like having two computers in one, because you won't need a desktop anymore, not with all this screen real estate. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Apple really got it right this time.

I'm very impressed by Apple's latest PowerBook

At first, I was hesitant to get it, mainly because I was not impressed by the 1 ghz's performance on FCP and DVDSP

However, this PowerBook has really blown me away ---- in FCP, I was able to play 4 layers at once, all composited upon each other, in real time!

The Apple Store also had HDV footage from the newest Sony camera -- and on that, the PowerBook could handle three layers, composited upon each other, in real time ---- very impressive!

I didn't put it into Motion or DVDSP tests, but the old 1 ghz PowerBook couldn't even open Motion

the 128 in Video-Ram makes a big difference on this PowerBook

Otherwise, for simple multitasking, email, and word processing, the PowerBook is solid

So overall, do not let the Intel switch veer you from purchasing a Mac right now ------ if you need the PowerBook, particularly for video editing, then go for it! You'll be happy with your purchase

I have been using the PowerBook for a little over 4 months now. My previous computer was an IBM Thinkpad.

17" Screen: Clear and beautiful. Some reviewers have complained about the maximum resolution. I have to say that the current maximum resolution is almost too much. The tiny print can be very diffiicult to read and I end up blowing up many documents to 150% size anyway. Why would you want even more resolution than that?

Keyboard: The weak link in all Macs. No "insert" key. Attaching a numeric keypad is no fun; the software asks you to hit the key next to the shift key so that it can identify what type of keyboard you have attached, but of course numeric keypads have no shift key. Fortunately, you can just tell the computer you have attached a Microsoft type keyboard. Also, the huge expanse of metal between the front of the computer and the keypad is a whole lot of no fun. It encourages my wrists to sweat and causes rashes in the hot, humid climate of the Philippines, or even in the vicinity of Puget Sound. Why not move the keyboard closer to the front of the computer, where your hands don't obscure part of the screen?

Touchpad: One button mice are passe. And do we really need that huge touchpad? I miss the little button on my Thinkpad. It is time for the hippies at Apple to realize that the 80s are over.

Wireless: Wow! The Bluetooth and wireless actually work! The Bluetooth even talks to my Windows mobile cell phone and my wireless mouse, something Windows has problems with.

LAN and other connections: These work as expected. It took some getting used to AppleTalk, but setting up a network was not all that difficult. The real hangup is getting it to talk to Windows computers, but it can be done. A little more documentation would have been nice. The USB ports work well, although some supposedly USB 2.0 compatible devices seem to think the ports are only USB 1.1. Also, if a port reports an error then it will not work again until the device is unplugged and the entire computer shut down and restarted.

OS X: I wish I had not upgraded to Tiger, as there have been nothing but problems with this OS. All I can say is, Windows users switching to Mac hoping for more stability and fewer compatibility problems will be gravely disappointed. Any of the numerous Mac forums are filled with discussions of software incompatibility and kernel panics (the Mac equivalent of the blue screen of death).

Software Availability: Some publishers were willing to exchange my Windows applications for their Mac equivalents for free or for a small fee. Microsoft and Symantec want you to buy whole new packages. I still have to run Windows XP in order to produce corporate tax returns and to play the latest games. While publishers sometimes release a Mac version of their games, they are usually late and lack features found in the latest PC versions. I use the Mac primarily for presentations and photo editing, however, and it performs these tasks very well.

Portability: The thin form factor and light weight make this laptop very portable. I found it easy to use just sitting on my lap taking notes in meetings. It is not, however, going to fit on an airline seat-back table. Don't even think about it. It is a good choice for doing presentations in small groups in areas where you don't want to take a projector and screen. Mine has withstood some small drops and rough handling with only a small dent on the case to show for it. Working as I do in sometimes primitive conditions with uncertain power supplies the Mac has come through without a glitch. It is a fine traveller that is unlikely to give up the ghost at an inopportune moment.

The last of the PPC PowerBooks.
I bought this in Dec of 2005, too early for the new intel models in my thinking and being a bit nostalgic I wanted the last PPC as I have many other Apple Lap top models. The Intels were just getting the bugs worked out and the this model had most of them gone by now.

I have had this model for 2 years almost daily for 10 to 12 hours, most of what I buy comes of the net, research and crunching data and numbers plus photos. I upped it to 2 MBs of RAM, got the 7200 RPM HD t and recommend that anyone do the same.
It has been very reliable, runs so quiet I do not know it's even on unless a program either Safari or a lesser known writing tool Grammarian decides to hog the CPU, if the second fan comes on, then you hear it. I recommend a lap top device that allows air to go under the machine as this keeps it cooler. You too. It's a beautiful screen, I love the extra space for your hands and the you get the screen real estate of of almost a 19" CRT in about 15.9 inches. A good trick. The colors are rich and deep, I have 128 VRAM

Problems.
At 2 years old Apple is building software that this machine can not run. Panther will do fine, but some Apple software products require more CPU power or RAM, I know it's tough to be in a switch between PPC and Intels but for over $3100.00 new, with Apple Care, I should not be even thinking of running out of gas in a 2 years with any software made by Apple in this short of a period. These are some iLife products.
These are not obscure software but parts of Panther or OS 10.5 Apple New operating system built to really unleash the Intel models. That's just bad marketing. Yet I knew the market was changing.

There have been problems with the screen developing vertical or lateral lines at about 2 years old and I am starting to notice that I am getting missing pixels on start up. There is not much talk at Apple but search online for this problem. It seems to effect mostly models with serial numbers starting in W85 which Id's where it was made. Apple denies this issue. I will have to watch mine further.

The latches on the screen do not hold the lid shut, they are small and I do not want to pull them down but is a drag that they will not close. When traveling, I have a soft bag that carries the computer and the compartment keeps the lid closed but not tightly. This is just poor construction as I travel very little. It's covered under Apple Care and I better get it in as it lasts until Dec 08.

Battery life, they seem to think that 3 to 5 hours is normal but I am lucky to get 2 hours. Not even enough to watch a movie on a flight. I use the battery very little and about once a month use it up and then fully recharge.

Power connector, right near the hard plastic plug they built in small indents to allow flexing, well I have gone through 3 of these and the all lead to bare wires. So if inspecting one, look carefully at this. Of course Apple fixed that whole problem with the mag connector power attachment. The new models are held in place by magnets. Pull it out or stretch it and it just lets go.

So all in all I m happy, the screen and inability of the model to run some new software are the 2 biggest problems I see.

I have a Mac Pro Book and even with minimal ram it is quick and the new quad 4s for the Mac Book pro are about 3 to 4 months out. That will be amazing.

I recommend this machine based on reliability after heavy use, the resale value will drop and could make a good used machine for basic computing. But for heavy graphics and video, yo may need to go to the Pro or the iMac which seems to be one heck of a good deal. If buying used, be careful of the screen, investigate the web, there are programs that tell you where your machine was made, what number it was and the day. These problem seem to be in one area but we shall see as the last of the W8's get some age.